5x10 vs 6x12

[wvmedic]

I'm looking at doing a conversion and was wondering if anyone here has towed a 5x10 and a 6x12?
I have a Jeep Gladiator and feel that the 5x10 would tuck in behind the truck better for towing and better gas mileage. Just curious if anyone has any real world experience with the two. We plan on traveling the Country from WV visiting all the states and eventually Alaska. There will be a mix of boondocking and campground with boondocking being the majority. We are 2 adults and a 100 pound Boxer, I'm the tallest at 5'11" and the boxer needs his own bed. We want a rear galley with a swing door or barn doors.


Jeff

[Gulfcoast]

I own a 6x12 and would not go smaller ever. I do have a V-8 truck to tow it with.

[Vnose]

If gas milage is the big deal for you a 4X8 would be better.

Seriously, I know gas prices are higher but it can't be that big of a deal. I've pulled my 6 X 14 X 6.25 behind our Jeep Cherokee Trail Hawk and you don't even notice it until you get to a long 20 degree + grade. A Gladiator would yank it up hill without a problem I'm sure. Did you buy the Gladiator for it's great MPG?

You must have a monster Boxer, mine is 75 pounds full grown. Not only does it need its own bed, it needs room to walk curled around following its butt.

A 6' wide will offer you many, many more options for your floor plan, the big difference is that, at your height, you can sleep N/S or E/W and E/W saves real estate. Wider can also mean a shorter trailer!

If you get a V Nose, 6 more inches on both sides won't make much difference, if any at all. What racks up weight that drops MPG is the length carrying more weight.

(BTW, you can still have an exterior kitchen about a foot inside of a cargo trailer with a ramp door, just put a passageway past the kitchen wall to walk out on your own elevated patio RAMP DOOR. )

If you must crawl up rock ledges at Canyonland, I'd go with a 4x8 and tentage out the back and sides. For a cross country jaunt with dirt roads, forest roads, I don't think a 5 or 6 foot wide would matter much.

Google just told me a 2023 Gladiator is 73.80 inches wide, that's 1.80 more than 6 foot.

It's ideal for your trailer tires to track in the footprint of your vehicle tires, that's "ideal" mainly for off road rocky trails, deep mud, narrow passages, etc. Question to ask; How often do I need "ideal" specifications for my intended purpose? My guess is not very often in reality. Being off 6 inches is close enough.

A 6 X 10 might be better if smaller/lighter is really needed, but you'll end up missing that 2 extra feet (or 4 extra feet after you realize what you've done).

My situation is two adults, neither of us are petite, and our Boxer, it's really nice having a 6x14, a 6x12 could work but it would be tight, smaller isn't an option for us.

I also suggest you figure out what you need inside, toilet, fridge, sink, beds, seating/table and toys. (Wind and rain will make you wish you had something worked out to prepare a meal inside, it's nice cooking out but it's not always worth the effort.)

I'm 6 foot, or I was until I shrunk a bit getting older, mine is 6' 4" tall inside, that comes down adding insulation. Most are probably going 6'6" or 7' tall, that is really too tall for a 5 wide, especially if you use the roof to store anything or have solar up there. A 6x6.5 is nearly square.

If you go light, a single axel, 3500 lbs should be fine, match your trailer and vehicle tires and carry another spare. Single axel is best for off roading IMO, if you are taking a full queen size bed, apartment fridge, 100 lbs of dog food, 2 weeks of grub and half your clothes closet, go with a double axel, 7500 lbs or more. Also, get a straight axel set up, not drop axels as you can raise the unit, use air bags or heavier springs for off roading, if necessary.

I'd suggest a 6x14x6.5 V nose, then 6x12, then 6x10, I wouldn't consider a 5' wide trailer behind a full size vehicle.

[Karebru]

A queen size mattress is 5 ft wide. A 5ft trailer is going to be less than that inside.
I went with a 7 x 14 -dual axle and am happy with it, but it did get pretty heavy. If I was going to do it again, I'd consider a 6 x 12 and better layout planning.

[Modstock]

I was looking at a 5x10 but that requires a custom order and it was cheaper to do a 6x10 .
It worked out perfectly with my Floorplan.

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[Grummy]

Real world towing difference between a 5 x 10 and the 6 x 12 ? I don't think one would be much more noticeably different than the other, IF they are the same weight. The trailer height that sticks up above your vehicle seems to be the "parachute" that causes the most drag.

Now I'm curious if your Jeep has the 3.6L or not. I read now and then, people with the 3.6L speak as if they don't even notice a 6 x 12 behind them. Myself, I have a Town and Country Minivan, same 3.6L (285hp) and a 6x12 usually loaded to the 2990lb limit.

Yes, it tows it, but I wouldn't say it is with "stunning power"... In a headwind, I tend to not attempt to push it past 60 mph-ish... If I did, the engine would want to jump between 5th and 4th too much, and frankly, I'm not keen on the RPM it turns to do over 60 in 4th, nor do I care to spend "transmission money" just for fun. I came from a world where you couldn't easily destroy a TH400 or a Torqueflite, and if you did, it didn't cost you $4000 to fix it !

If I can catch even a little tailwind to take off some of the "parachute" affect, I can find myself able to stay with traffic between 70-75 mph, remain in 5th and also have a not so scary RPM. I suppose some of the 3.6L guys who claim they can run like a V8 truck maybe do not mind to see 3800 RPM all day, all night. (some say they are "built for that"). But it sure bothers me.

I see some websites say the Jeep Gladiator can tow up to 7600lbs properly equipped. Same 3.6L engine as my 3600lb rated minivan. I don't see how it's got enough torque for any more than the 3600lbs.

The tradeoff for me running the minivan is that the round trip fuel economy is always substantially better than if I pulled it with my full size 5.7L Chevy Van. Towing with that, it will just get 10mpg.... Seems to be the story of my Life with Chevy Trucks.... If you tow, you get 10. The minivan has usually seen 14mpg round trips at it's worst and 17.5mpg at its best. BOTH are better than 10mpg ! Yet, on some trips, like when my wife decides to pack for the apocalypse, I prefer the full size due to Gross combined weight concerns.

So, back to YOUR concerns, I don't think towing between the two will change much, but the INSIDE of a 6x12 will be far more enjoyable than a 5' wide. If you can keep it LIGHT (which is a bit of a challenge), either will work, BUT, maybe for fun, try to find a 4000lb trailer that you can test tow. Give it a good 60 mile hike and see if your thrilled with how your 3.6L works out. If you got a Hemi... well, forget everything I said !

[wvmedic]

Thank you for the replies, much appreciated.

@Vnose and @Grummy Did I buy it for the gas mileage? Yes and no, it is far better than my 2010 F150 that I traded in on it. The F150 was a heavy duty and mixed driving mostly in town it would get about 14 MPG, 12 MPG towing and strangely enough it really didn't matter what I was towing. It wouldn't do better than 12 MPG with my Teryx4 or my 16' aluminum utility fishing boat. The gladiator is 74" wide with the fenders and I think the 6' wide would track well on the forest service and fire roads I would use it on. No rock climbing for me, at 54 I've done all of that and mud I'm going to do when I was younger. This is more about exploring the Country since I am semi retired, meaning I retired from working on an ambulance after 30 plus years and now work a part time gig in the medical command center, 2 on 1 off 2 on then 9 days off. Momma works the same schedule, so we can take 1 set off and have 3 weeks to travel.

The wants a minimal, comfortable bed, bed for the Boxer, if he isn't 100 pounds he is at least 90, he was like 76 pounds when we had him clipped and has definitely put on some weight. Rear galley, we already have a portable shower we use bush camping in Canada, not sure on a cassette toilet or not yet, would very much like solar though I don't really know anything about solar yet. A 6x12 I think would work if I could comfortably sleep E/W if not a 6x14 would be needed. As for the 3.6, so far it is better than any Jeep 4.0 I've ever ran in the XJ's, normal driving for me is between 1,500 and 2,000 RPM. I don't think I would like running it in the 3,000 to 4,000 range much, also a V8 it is not. The unknown factors for me and the reason for the question was the extra width and height of the 6' wide.

Thank you, Jeff

[wvmedic]

Thank you for the replies, much appreciated.

@Vnose and @Grummy Did I buy it for the gas mileage? Yes and no, it is far better than my 2010 F150 that I traded in on it. The F150 was a heavy duty and mixed driving mostly in town it would get about 14 MPG, 12 MPG towing and strangely enough it really didn't matter what I was towing. It wouldn't do better than 12 MPG with my Teryx4 or my 16' aluminum utility fishing boat. The gladiator is 74" wide with the fenders and I think the 6' wide would track well on the forest service and fire roads I would use it on. No rock climbing for me, at 54 I've done all of that and mud I'm going to do when I was younger. This is more about exploring the Country since I am semi retired, meaning I retired from working on an ambulance after 30 plus years and now work a part time gig in the medical command center, 2 on 1 off 2 on then 9 days off. Momma works the same schedule, so we can take 1 set off and have 3 weeks to travel.

The wants a minimal, comfortable bed, bed for the Boxer, if he isn't 100 pounds he is at least 90, he was like 76 pounds when we had him clipped and has definitely put on some weight. Rear galley, we already have a portable shower we use bush camping in Canada, not sure on a cassette toilet or not yet, would very much like solar though I don't really know anything about solar yet. A 6x12 I think would work if I could comfortably sleep E/W if not a 6x14 would be needed. As for the 3.6, so far it is better than any Jeep 4.0 I've ever ran in the XJ's, normal driving for me is between 1,500 and 2,000 RPM. I don't think I would like running it in the 3,000 to 4,000 range much, also a V8 it is not. The unknown factors for me and the reason for the question was the extra width and height of the 6' wide.

Thank you, Jeff

[wvmedic]

I don't know why that posted twice and I can't delete one.

Jeff

[flboy]

Enough was said about size. Just need to figure out what you want. In any case, I'd highly recommend paying a few hundred dollars more (upgrade is about $200) and have a 5,000lb axle put in. It will come with load range D tires and electric brakes in this case.

You can try to build light, but you will approach axle limits of 3,500lbs quickly. Just much better to have the brakes and the margin to not have to worry too much about weight. Regardless, you will appreciate the electric brakes. Really important IMO.


I built a 6x12 and built it with weight in mind, but when fully loaded with gear, water, and my dirtbike, it weighed in at 3,600 lbs. I am willing to bet there are alot of 6x12s running around at or over limits and no brakes. I had mine built with a 5,200lb axle and electric brakes, so no issues... but if I hadn't spent the extra money, I'd be over limits and if ever in an unfortunate accident, the billboard lawyers would have fun with that and my insurance would most likely walk away.






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[wvmedic]

Enough was said about size. Just need to figure out what you want. In any case, I'd highly recommend paying a few hundred dollars more (upgrade is about $200) and have a 5,000lb axle put in. It will come with load range D tires and electric brakes in this case.

You can try to build light, but you will approach axle limits of 3,500lbs quickly. Just much better to have the brakes and the margin to not have to worry too much about weight. Regardless, you will appreciate the electric brakes. Really important IMO.





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I absolutely agree with the breaks and upgraded axle, I'm going to run the same tire and rim as the Jeep so defiantly a straight axel as well.

Jeff

[flboy]

[

I absolutely agree with the breaks and upgraded axle, I'm going to run the same tire and rim as the Jeep so defiantly a straight axel as well.

Jeff

Good idea! Best wishes. Not running the same tires on mine, but I underslung my axle for 5 inches more of clearance and added load range E all terrain light truck tires to mine. Pulling with an F250, but I have the truck to pull larger things as well.





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[wvmedic]

Thank you flboy and your build looks great.

Jeff

[Grummy]

>>> You can try to build light, but you will approach axle limits of 3,500lbs quickly.

Even more so if you go with a 6 x 14. That extra 2 feet will not likely stay empty.

And on adding brakes, yes, I like that I added them, but it was kind of a bummer to realize that adding brakes also added about 62Lbs to the build !

[wvmedic]

>>> You can try to build light, but you will approach axle limits of 3,500lbs quickly.

Even more so if you go with a 6 x 14. That extra 2 feet will not likely stay empty.

And on adding brakes, yes, I like that I added them, but it was kind of a bummer to realize that adding brakes also added about 62Lbs to the build !

Thank you Grummy, I think I can live with that 62 pounds.

Jeff